Method of making matrices for simulated log structures



Oct. 23, 1951 w, w, MAIER 2,572,269

METHOD OF MAKING MATRICES FOR SIMULATED LOG STRUCTURES Filed Sept. 5, l946 2 'SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR.

1%!!!)2 J1. /V4 BY m M V A. e.

Oct. 23, 1951 w, w, MAIER 7 2,572,269

METHOD OF MAKING MATRICES FOR SIMULATED LOG STRUCTURES Filed SPt. 5, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 .llmmg INVENTQR. mill/7 22 144 Maze Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITE-D PATENT oFFICE METHOD OF MAKING MATRICES FOR SIMULATED 'LOG STRUCTURES Wellington'W. Maier, Mic, Mich.

Application September 5, 1946, Serial No. 694,861

2.Claims. l

'This invention relates broadly to new'and useful improvements'in building. structures having simulated log wall-s and more particularly to a novel method of forming metal lathso that the latter automatically assumes a shape simulating the logs when nailed or otherwise'fastened-to a wall of the building, to anovel brake for'forming the metal laths, and-to the formed'sheet of metal lath obtained by practice of the method or operationof the brake.

An important object of the invention is toprovide a novel method of forming metal laths so that the latter automatically assumes a desired shape or configuration when attached to the wall of a building.

Another object of the invention isto provide a novel method of forming a simulated log wall.

Another object of the invention is to provide'a novel brake which permits the method "to be practiced efiiciently and quickly.

Still another object of the invention is to pro vide a brake of the above-mentionedcharacter that is simple in construction and effici'ent'in operation.

Yet another object of the inventionis to provide a novel preformed metal laththat canbe applied easily and quickly to the wall or a'buil'ding and which naturally assumes "a desiredshape or ccnfigurationwhen attached to" the wall.

Other objects and advantages of theinventi'on will be apparentduring the course of thefollowin'g description. v

In the drawings forming ,3, partoi thisspecification and wherein like numerals are employed to designate lfl e part throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view ofa simulated log Wall including aprformed metal lath embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged, vertical sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a brake for .forming the metal lath, parts thereof being broken away for clearness of illustration and a sheet of metal lath being shown in the brake to illustrate its operation:

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and showing parts of the brake in the initial position;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating the. first operation of the brake to form the lath;

- Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but illustrating the second operation of the brake to form the lath;

This invention relates to the same subject matter as myprior United States 'Patent"2,045,- 482, dated June 123, 1936. According to the patented invention, :a simulated log wall is obtained by nailing-or otherwise fastening formed sheet metal laths 200 f the type having perforations such as those shownat'l'l' in- Fig. 3- tothe vertical wall of a'building and then covering the lathe with concrete or -p1aster 22. A construction of this type is illustrated in Fig. l'wherei-n the building wall -is shown as comprising siding 24 which is nailed to'studs26 and covered with a layer of tar paper-28 or thelike. The'laths'ZO 'areformed with relatively wide arched portions Sil -and the latter are "separated by webs- 32 which'are nailed "to the siding?! and hold the arched portions spaced from and rigidly fixed with relations to thewall.

Webs 3'2 maybe formed integrally with the arched portion's 'iifi on both sides thereof, asin the case of the middle web in Fig. 1, or they may merely comprise overlapping marginal flanges on adjacent sheets of metal lathe, as in the case of the-two endm'ost webs. Any desired number of arches 36 can be formed in a single sheet of metal lath, and, if more than one sheet is required, the marginal flanges of adjacent sheets are overlapped and nailedte the wall as shown in the drawings. Metal lath is made in stock sizes, and'Ihave found it convenient, in the present invention, to use sheets whichar-e approximately four feet square. Manifestly, however, this is merely a matter of convenience aridadaptability, and anysuitable size sheet can :beused, depending upon the-exigencies of the particular situation. When roperly formcdand affixed-to the walLzthelath form a relatively rigidimatrix for the :concrete or plastw 22'; and, if the ilatterdstproperly colored and artistically formed, an -.:e:ffect.is :producedwhich closely resembles :or .-'.'simu1ates an actual log structure. .The. simulated-logstructure is fireprcofizand' has the advantage of providing heat-insulating air spaces between the wall of the building and the metal lath 26.

As suggested, the present invention is concerned with a method of and means for easily and quickly preforming a metal lath so that it automatically assumes the shape shown in Fig. 1 when applied to a wall. According to the present invention the lath is formed in a brake which comprises a medial beam 34, leaves 36 at opposite sides of the beam, panels 36 along the outer edges of the leaves, and a removable leaf 46 which is adapted to be mounted separately on both leaves 36 as shown in Figs. 4 and 7. The entire structure conveniently can be placed on a suitable supporting platform 42. While the brake may be arranged to operate by hinging the various parts thereof to swing either downwardly or upwardly relative to one another in a bending operation, the latter construction is preferred and is here shown because it isv simpler than the other.

Leaves 36 are fastened to the beam 34 by hinges 44, and the panels 38 are fastened to leaves 36 by hinges 46. In this connection it will be observed that all of the hinges are set into or embedded in the top surfaces of the parts so that these surfaces are contiguous to each other. Furthermore, the hinges are arranged so that all of the articulated parts fold upwardly. Figs. 5-8

show the manner in which panels 38 swing upwardly at right angles to their respective leaves 36, and Figs. 6 and 7 show the manner in which the leaves swing upwardly substantially at right angles to the beam 34. Preferably handles 4! are provided at the outer edges of panels 38 (Fig. 1) to facilitate manual actuation of the parts.

It will be observed that the beam 34 and panels 38 are relatively narrow, while the leaves 36 and 46 are relatively wide; moreover, the leaves 36 and 46 preferably are similar in size and shape, so that the removable leaf 46 coincides with the leaf 36 on which it is mounted.

While removable leaf 46 may be held in position by hand during operation of the brake, it is preferable, particularly in larger brake sizes, to provide some means for locating and holding it relative to the leaves 36. One way in which this can be accomplished conveniently is to provide one of the leaves with pilot pins which enter and snugly fit locating holes in the other leaf or leaves. In the form of the invention here shown by way of illustration, the removable leaf 46 carries pilot pins 48 adjacent each end thereof, which pins project downwardly and enter locating holes 56 in the attached leaves 36.

In operation, a flat sheet of metal lath 26 is arranged in the brake as shown in Fig. 4, and the removable leaf 46 is mounted on one of the fixed leaves 36 to clamp a portion of the lath therebetween. Although it makes no difference which of the fixed leaves 36 first receives the removable leaf 46, for the purpose of illustration the latter is shown on the leaf 36 disposed at the left of beam 34. The first operation in forming the lath 26 is to swing the panel 38 which is attached to the above leaf 36 upwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, while holding the lath clamped solidly between the fixed and removable leaves 36 and 46. This operation forms a relatively narrow marginal flange or side 52 along one side of the lath. The next operation is to articulate the leaf 36 at the left of beam 34 to the position shown in Fig. 6 while still holding the lath clamped solidly between leaves 36 and 46. This operation forms a relatively wide section or side 54 in the lath.

The raised leaf 36 and panel 38 are then lowered onto the platform 42, the removable leaf 46 is transferred to the leaf 36 at the right of beam 34, and the panel 38 attached to this leaf is swung upwardly, as shown in Fig. '7, to form a second marginal flange or side 52 along the opposite edge of the lath. The leaf specifically referred to above is then swung upwardly, as shown in Fig. 8, while maintaining the lath clamped solidly between it and the removable leaf 46. This operation forms a second relatively wide section or side 54 in the lath 26 and simultaneously forms a relatively narrow side 58 therein, which side is disposed directly above the support 34 and in opposed relation to the two sides or flanges 52 (Fig. 8). This completes the preforming operation and the finished lath is disengaged from the brake merely by removing the leaf 46.

The preformed metal lath is shown in edgewise elevation in Fig. 9, and it will be observed that it is generally rectangular in form. The two opposed sides 64 are relatively wide, while the sides formed by overlappin flanges 52 and side 58 are relatively narrow.

When the preformed metal lath shown in Fig. 9 is opened or expanded with the two flanges 52 in coplanar relation to the side 58, the two relatively wide sides 54 naturally assume an arch shape as shown in Fig. 10. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be observed that the shape naturally assumed by the expanded preformed metal lath is the shape desired for the metal lath used in the simulated log wall. To apply the lath to the wall it is merely necessary to drive nails 66 or the like through the sides or flanges 52 and 58 in the manner hereinabove described and as shown in Fig. 2.

If ordinary metal nails are used to fasten the preformed metal laths 26 to the walls, I prefer to use, in addition, a number of galvanized metal nails 62. These nails are driven only part way into the boards 24, as shown in Fig. 2, so that they project outwardly and are embedded in the concrete or plaster 22. Thus in the event the nails 66 must or corrode sufiiciently to shear away from the wall, nails 62 hold the metal lath and its plaster coating fixed to the wall.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the instant method comprises essentially bending a flat sheet of metal lath or the like along spaced, relatively parallel lines into a generally elongated rectangular shape so that when the formed sheet is opened and alternate sides arranged in coplanar relation, the other of said sides naturally assumes an arched shape.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the size, shape, and arrangement of parts can be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim: 1. A method of making matrices for simulated log structures comprising bending a flat sheet of deformable material having a plurality of perforations distributed over substantially its entire surface along spaced, relatively parallel lines until it assumes, in edgewise elevation, a generally elongated, rectangular shape having alternate, relatively wide and relatively narrow sides and having the side marginal edges thereof disposed substantially medianly of one of said relatively narrow sides, and then fastening the relatively narrow, alternate sides to a Support with the relatively wide sides arched away from the sup- 5 port so that said relatively wide sides simulate logs and the relatively narrow sides simulate spaces between the logs.

2. A method of making matrices for simulated log structures comprising bending a flat sheet of metal lath of the type having a plurality of perforations distributed substantially entirely over its surface repeatedly in the same direction and along spaced, relatively parallel lines to provide alternate relatively narrow sections and alternate relatively wide sections so related and arranged that the side marginal edges of the metal lath are disposed substantially medianly of one relatively narrow section, then opeing the formed sheet and fastening the relatively narrow sections flatly against a support in such relation to each other that the relatively wide sections are arched away from the support whereby said wide see- The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 410,066 Bohn Aug. 2'7, 1889 573,839 Bruner Dec. 22, 1-896 1,698,925 Stickney Jan. 15, 1929 1,840,537 Siebenlist Jan. 12, 1932 1,859,354 Buttress May 24, 1932 1,971,667 Weeks Aug. 28, 1934 2,219,805 Buttress Oct. 29, 1940 2,278,791 Lewis Apr. 7, 1942 

